Naruto Shippuden: Lee's Growth
by PtrickStar
Summary: This is a story based on Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto manga series. It follows Rock Lee on one of his missions showing his increase in strength he gained over the years. This story also includes other characters from the Naruto series.


**Naruto Shippuden: Lee's Growth**

"Alright team! Let's go make our village proud. Are you ready?" Guy said.

"Of course, Guy sensei! I can hardly wait!" said Lee.

"Let's just hurry up." said Neji.

"You guys always get so worked up about every mission," said Tenten.

Team Guy went off to start their mission and quickly return to the village so they can receive their next one from Tsunade, (but Guy didn't mention that second part to Neji and Tenten of course). Guy and his favorite student Rock Lee were running towards their destination at high speed with Neji and Tenten following shortly behind them. They kept this up for quite a while.

"Can't you guys slow down a little?" Tenten complained.

"Don't bother asking," said Neji, "It's like talking to a brick wall."

"Neji!" Guy yelled back, "How close are we to our destination?"

"Hold on let me find out." Neji activated his Byakugan and looked a few miles ahead. "At this speed we should arrive in about five minutes."

"Let's make it in four!" shouted Lee.

"Better yet, Three!" Guy yelled, encouragingly.

Neji sighed. "They will be the death of us one day."

After a few minutes of running, Guy halted them. "Ok team, we are nearly there, but I don't want to run blindly into an ambush. We're going to hide here behind these trees and bushes and wait for the enemy ninja to come walking by on their way to the merchant's store."

"Good plan. Then depending on the situation, we can have Tenten immobilize them with kunai."

"Good thinking Neji." said Lee. The four of them hid in the bushes and shortly after, four ninja came slowly walking down the path. One was a tall guy with spiked up blue hair, wearing an eye patch over his right eye. Next to him was a shorter fellow with short blue hair, wearing goggles and had grey camouflage pants. He had a peculiar shaped weapon on his back with two handles, both linked by a chain. These two guys were accompanied by one anbu black ops member.

"I can't make out their headband, but judging by that anbu's mask I think they're hidden mist ninja," Tenten said.

"Well they came walking blindly here just like I predicted,' said Guy. "It's time to make our move." Neji suggested that they wait and observe the situation before jumping in head first, but Lee was quickly encouraged by sensei's idea, so there was no stopping them.

"We have to be ready for anything Chojuro," Ao, the man with the eye patch, said. Immediately after, three kunai came at them quickly from the trees hitting each person straight in the left knee. Guy and Lee came out of the bushes simultaneously with a spinning kick.

"Double leaf hurricane!" Chojuro took out his large sword and blocked the powerful kicks, ignoring the pain in his knee. "You're quicker than I thought," said Guy, "but you three will be stopped here and now." Neji and Tenten came and joined them by their side.

"These must be the guys," said Chojuro. "We mustn't let up." Then the anbu next to him quickly formed a hand seal. "Hidden mist jutsu!" Team Guy was suddenly surrounded by thick mist. The enemy planned on using a sneak attack.

"Neji!" Guy yelled.

"I'm on it! Byakugan!" He observed his surroundings for a few seconds. "Behind us! Hurry!" The anbu ninja came rushing towards them from behind with needles in his hand. Guy then turned around throwing a violent punch to his face, breaking his jaw and sending him flying back. The mist started to fade away.

"Neji, Tenten! Go and take care of that anbu, I already injured him. He shouldn't be too much trouble for you two." They both jumped back to take him on. "Lee, I'll take on the one with the eye patch. He seems to be the one leading the team. I'm counting on you to defeat the one with that strange sword."

"Right, Guy sensei! He will not know what hit him!"

"That's the spirit Lee!" Guy said with a thumbs up and showing his sparkling teeth.

"Well if I have to take you on," Ao said, "Then I need to get closer to a body of water. Chojuro, I leave the rest here to you." Then he ran off towards the river and Guy followed. Lee was left facing the awkward looking guy with the large sword.

Chojuro wasn't too good at provoking his enemies. "So, um… what do they call you?" he asked with a shaky voice.

"Well, some people have called me the leaf's handsome devil, but you can call me… Rock Lee!" His confidence made Chojuro grow more nervous.

He cleared his throat then spoke in a deeper tone. "Well Rock Lee, you are my opponent as of now, and I will not lose."

"We'll just see about that!" Lee then dashed for him with a punch that he barely dodged. He kept using quick swift punches and powerful kicks which Chojuro mostly blocked with his sword. He seemed to wield it pretty well despite his size. Lee was still fast enough to easily dodge his swings nonetheless. "You are a worthy opponent, but from here on out you will have no time to attack!" Lee knew that he would have to change his battle tactics if he planned on defeating this person. The lotus was out of the question. Not only was it too risky, but the situation did not meet the one requirement the Guy would allow him to use it. Perhaps some of the eight inner gates would do the trick. Just about two should do.

Chojuro was exhausted. He couldn't believe this guy could still move so quickly after all he has done up till now. Lee then closed his eyes. "Gate of opening, OPEN!" A large amount of chakra was released from his body, blowing a strong blast of wind towards Chojuro.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked nervously.

"I plan on making my sensei proud! By defeating you!" Lee yelled. "Gate of rest, OPEN!" More intense chakra was flowing through Lee's body. Chojuro knew if he didn't stop him now, he would definitely be finished. He gripped his sword tightly and focused a large amount of chakra into it. The chakra flowed outward from the tip and formed the shape of a huge hammer. Chojuro ran to Lee and jumped in the air attempting to swing it at him, but Lee dodged it in a flash. He appeared to have vanished. The impact of the chakra hammer crumbled several trees.

Lee then appeared behind him and used leaf whirlwind to knock him off his feet and pushed him with his two palms. Chojuro went flying towards a tree, letting go of his sword in the process. By the time he opened his eyes again from the painful impact, Lee was already in front of him holding his sword close to his face. "Please do not move from that spot," Lee said. "The leaf village does not tolerate thieves."

"What? We're not the ones that stole from the merchant. I thought you were!"

Lee dropped the sword. "What did you say?"

Meanwhile Guy and Ao were still locked in combat. The intense battle caused the landscape around them to become greatly damaged. Large canals in the dirt due to Ao's water style jutsus, and many trees collapsed on each other by Guy's tai jutsu. They were both breathing heavily. "You are a strong foe," said Ao while trying to catch his breath.

"You too mist ninja. I never would've suspected that you'd have the byakugan under that eye patch of yours." Neji and Tenten came from behind Guy and joined him. They managed to defeat the mist anbu. "But now it looks like you're all out of luck friend."

"Wait!" Rock Lee yelled. He came running with Chojuro by his side.

"What is the meaning of this Chojuro? I didn't think he would be too much for you to handle, but looking at your condition..."

"These people aren't our enemies," Chojruo said.

"Is this true Lee?" said Guy.

"Yes! We were set up. The real culprit requested that our team come here from the leaf, so that our two teams would finish each other off. You see, the mist ninja were already on their way to help the merchant from the thief, so the thief kidnapped the merchant and called for our team pretending to be the victim. Then he would have nothing more to worry about when we collided with the mist ninja."

"We have to hurry to the shop then," said Neji. The two teams ran to the store as fast as they could.

"Hahaha, I knew Guy and his team would jump into action as soon as they saw those mist ninja," said the bandit. "They should all be dead pretty soon, and even if there are some survivors they'll probably be injured so that even I can finish them off."

"Just as I thought," Guy said from behind him. All the ninja were there.

"What?!" The bandit said shockingly. "Why are you guys here?!"

"We know everything," said Ao. "Now you're gonna get it." The bandit let out a scream as both the leaf and mist ninja gave him his punishment. They found the merchant tied up and released him.

"Hey um… We're real sorry about all this," said Guy. "No hard feelings right? Hehehe"

"No," Ao said. "None of this was any of our fault. We have your student there to thank for figuring it all out though." He looked at Lee. "You are a fine shinobi son."

"Thank you sir!"

"I agree," Chojuro said, reaching out his hand. "I hope to meet you again someday. And if we do, I'll be stronger, and hopefully we can have ourselves another spar."

Lee shook his hand. "Yes, we will meet again one day. I am sure of it." Lee then looked at Guy sensei, and gave him thumbs up. The squads parted ways. Rock Lee was feeling good about himself. He had become much stronger after this mission, and he couldn't wait for the next.

Tenten let out a long yawn. "Oh, I'm so exhausted. I'm glad that's all over." Guy looked up and noticed a huge flock of birds flying overhead.

"Hey guys," he said. "Those birds are all flying in the opposite direction of the leaf village. Do you think something happened?"

"Ya I've been getting a bad feeling too." Neji said. "We should head back quickly."

"What?!" Tenten started. "We don't get time to rest?!"


End file.
